Mesapamea secalis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Mesapamea secalis, the common rustic, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in Europe, north-west Africa, Turkey and northern Iran.
The species was formerly considered the same species as the lesser common rustic (Mesapamea didyma) and Remm's rustic (Mesapamea remmi). All three were raised to species level. See Townsend et al. for diagnoses. P. secalis L. (= lamda View., lancea Esp., vilis Hbn.). Forewing varying in ground colour from bluish white, cream white, through pale and dark grey, sometimes ochreous or brownish-tinged, to grey brown, redbrown. or purplish brown; the median area and terminal area darker, fuscous brown or blackish brown, generally with a broad black brown streak from below the claviform stigma along submedian fold to outer line; a black dash from base below cell, and a black streak above inner margin near base; inner and outer lines double, dark, conversely lunulate-dentate; submarginal line pale with a narrow dark shading preceding it; claviform stigma small, black-edged; orbicular oblique, oval, of the ground colour... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Rustic sighting in London on a given day, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 776th most-seen of the 1504 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Rustic in London on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Common Rustic sightings, London has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Portland (United States, under 5%) and Vancouver (Canada, under 5%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Common Rustic that you can see in London (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Large Yellow Underwing (about 30%), Heart And Dart (about 20%) and Shuttle-Shaped Dart (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Rustic is recorded against all the insects logged in London (23 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
